REVIEW: ‘Apollo 18’ fascinating, but not perfect
Remember the “Blair Witch Project” or “Paranormal Activity”? Remember how many audiences believed it to be true? “Apollo 18” felt like that — real. Of course, it is obviously not but there were clips in the film that were almost boring because the creators wanted that realistic feel. “Apollo 18” was refreshingly well done, in a style that rarely exists these days.
Apollo missions were NASA’s missions to the moon. The government and history books tell us that we stopped going to the moon after Apollo 17. This movie suggests that Apollo 18 was a secret mission of two men that were sent to the moon to find more rocks and samples for testing. Little did they know, that was not the reason they were sent on a dangerous and secretive mission.
The two astronauts, Benjamin Anderson (Warren Christie) and Nathan Walker (Lloyd Owen), stepped foot on the moon only to come back to the question: “Is there life residing on the surface of our moon?” While collecting samples the strange and unexplainable events start to happen; The American flag was tipped over. There were tracks on the moon that were not human. There was an abandoned Russian aircraft, and consistent noises appeared closer and louder inside the rocket.
“Apollo 18” starts out slow but only to build anticipation and intensity. Halfway through the film, I had my fingers crossing my mouth and eyes, along with my knees to my chest and feet on the chair. Nathan Walker becomes infected when something is lodged into his skin just under the rib cage. He becomes mentally and physically ill. This is where the suspense comes from, that, and the unseen extra-terrestrial life lurking in the dark craters of the moon.
Christie and Owen acted impeccably, by carefully and accurately depicting what astronauts are like, and what they would have to face in a crisis. I did not question for a second their ability to portray their characters correctly. The only thing I questioned was a couple of lines in the script. They seemed unnatural and unrealistic at times. But even then, it was just for a second.
I wondered if Warren Christie and Lloyd Owen were cast in these roles due to the fact they are not well-known, so, if there was a question of authenticity, it would be easier to leave the audience puzzled. They both have done small parts but have never done a big production. With the successful acting skills in “Apollo 18,” they might have just gotten the break they needed.
This sci-fi thriller has so much to offer an audience. It is a new and original concept not often seen in movies. The filming and directing technique is also not seen regularly. “Apollo 18” was not infested with illuminating and exotic colors, and graphics or sounds, but it still contained creativity. These days, directors, producers, graphic designers and sound technicians are so caught up with the “wow” factor that originality in story-lines and dialogue tend to be lacking.
On the other hand, the fact that it looks like scenes were taken from old footage, but in reality were created from scratch, is impressive. And the fact that the creators were able to craft something that looked real, like the moving rock and other forms of life living on the moon’s surface, and still make it look vintage, was also very impressive. It helped that the theater I sat in still used a reel that made the clicking noise just behind my head which added a vintage factor to the experience.
A good soundtrack normally sets the mood and can define a good scene from a bad scene. “Apollo 18” is the exception. In fact, I think the lack of music was what made it more chilling and exciting. It made me feel like I was right in there with them, experiencing the odd scratching and tapping noises happening in the rocket.
The movie also brought up some other questions of whether the government would really leave behind astronauts or soldiers, if they were a potential danger to the United States. Is that a real controversial issue? Whether I questioned the film or not, I left satisfied.
“Apollo 18” was indeed well done. However, it is not a film that changed my life, though it might change someone else’s if they believe it is authentic footage. This would not be hard to confuse. If you are looking for a fascinating piece of entertainment, put “Apollo 18” on the top of the list, especially if you are a space nerd like me.
— Anike Pullens is a senior majoring in public relations and minoring in theater and speech. She has written movie reviews for a year. She enjoys movies any day of the week. She can be contacted at anike.pullens@aggiemail.usu.edu